Method and apparatus for bending spokes



v 1,6 4, 1 P 1 1927' T. F. RAINSFORD 3 9 3 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORBENDING SPO KES Filed March 16, 1925 3 sheets-shut INVENTOR 720777614;ffiafiysfara July 5, 1927.

P. RAHNSFQRD,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING SPOKES Filed March 16, 1925 3Sh'eets-SE1 Q-2 iNVENTOR 72a masjfiamsflf 1 y 927 T. F. 'RAINSFORDMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING SPOKES 3 Sheets-$116M H Filed March 16.1925 INVENTOR fjmmsfiazfisffiai BY I ATTORNEYS Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,634,913 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. RAINSFORID, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO WHITEHEAD 85KALES COMPANY, OF RIVER ROUGE, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING SPOKES.

Application filed March 16, 1925. Serial No. 15,982.

The invention relates to wheel manufactures and refers more particularlyto a 1neth- 0d and apparatus for bending the spokes of wheels. j

An object of the invention is to provide means for quickly bending thespokes of a wheel preparatory to placing the rim in position. Inmanufacturing wheels, after the spokes have been connected with the huband especially when the spokes are cast in the hub, the spokes aredisarranged and must be straightened or bent into proper positionpreparatory to receiving the wheel rim. My invention provides a simplemeans for quickly bending or straightening all of the spokes of a wheelsimultaneously. The invention further contemplates means for permittingquick replacement of a wheel on the machine after the bending operationhas taken place.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts asmore fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine showing the spider incross-section.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the table of the machine showing the spiderin operative position. I

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the machine base. v

Figure 4 is a plan of the machine base along 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a plan of the die block ring.

Figure 6 is a section view of the same along 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a plan of the spider, and

Figure 8 is a section View of the same along 88 of Fig. 7.

In the drawings reference character A indicates the base of the machinewhich may be cast of suitable metal and having a table B.

C represents a spider which is adapted to be reciprocated to bend thespokes of the wheel E preferably about a cooperating stationary dieblock D. V

For reciprocating the spider C, I provide a suitable source of powersuch as the motor 10, adapted to drive a gear 11 through a pinion 12,the drive then progressing through suitable reduction gearing such aspinion 1.3 and gear 14. The latter gear is provided with clutch jaws at15 adapted to cooperate with complementary clutch jaws carried by aclutch member 16 splined at 17 to a driven shaft 18. The clutch member16 is normally urged forwardly into driven contactuvith the clutch jawsof gear 14 by reason of a spring 19 one end of which bears against astationary set collar 20. The clutch member 16 is preferably providedwith actuating means for permitting driving engagement with gear 14 forone revolution of the clutch member 16. With this in View the clutchmember 16 may be provided with a circumferentially extending groove 21terminating in an offset 22. Engageable with the groove 21 is a pin 23normally urged forwardly into engagementwith the groove by reason of aspring 24. The pin 23 may be withdrawn from the groove by any suitableoperating means (not shown) connected with the pin. It will be notedthat, with the motor 10 continuously rotating gear 14, the pin 23 will,after a revolution of the clutch member 16,

engage the offset 22 and automatically move the clutch member 16 to theright, thus withdrawing the clutch member from driven engagement withgear 14. Whenever it is desired to cause a revolution of the shaft 18the pin 23 is momentarily withdrawn from the offset 22 whereupon thespring 19 will move the clutch member into driven engagei'nent with theclutch jaws of the gear 14 thereby rotating the shaft 18 for a singlerevolution or until the ofiset 22 again comes into engagement with pin23 to disengage the clutch.

The shaft 18' terminates in a crank disc 25 having a driving pin 26engaged by a connecting rod27. The driven end of the connecting rodoperates a wrist pin 28 connected with a suitable crosshead 29reciprocable in vertical guides 30. Connected with the crosshead 29 is aspider pull rod 31 adjacent the upper end of which is a reducedportion'32 adapted to receive the bi furcations 33 of a key 34 fortemporarily holding the wheel in position and at the same timepermitting quick removal of the key 34 as will be hereafter understood.

The table B may be provided with an annular seat 35 for receiving thedie block D, and a portion 36 for supporting a mandrel 37 which slidablyreceives the rod 31. The mandrel may be tapered at 38 in accordance withthat of the hub 39 of the wheel E. An annular portion 40 of the mandrelengages the portion 36 for supporting the mandrel and wheel hub inpoeition to be acted on b v the spider C.

The die block 1) may be il'iinrniedwith cut out portion'h or slots l1leaving the rai ed lower spoke guides 4-2 between s'ucces ive slottedportions. The elotted portiong are adapted to receive the upper spokeguides ii -l. The guides l2 and el l prejlerabl have their upper faceseurved and inclined outwardly to eonl orm readily with the/angle ofbending of the. spokes, the guides thus serving as .lulcrums. The dieblock D is adapted to be secured to the annular seat; 85 by meiins otthe screws ll passing through the holes l5. l-loles ltl extend throughthe slotted portions l1. lo' aeeonnnedating e re 1's :l-T by means oil?which the upper spoke guides l3 are held seated within the slottedportione all. It will thus be noted that the die block I) is formed ofalternzite lower epolie guidee l2 and relatively hip-her upper spokeguides aid, the guides being; spaced to contorin with the spoken ofthewheel 1C.

The wheel E is shown having a hub 89 'lornied with an upper ai'inulusltl and a lower annulus ll). ti eeured to the upper a11- nului's l8 andextendin indiull theret'roni are the upper epohes l the lower spoken atextending radially from the lower annulus l9. lhe upper spokes (it) andthe lower s-ipolcee ill are verti'ally olhset so that, it projcetedvertically the upper and lower Spoken would alternate.

'lhe spoltes may be secured to the hub in any manner desired althoughit. is preferred to ttbll' the ends ol the spokes with the wheel hub.Alter the spokes have been t -listened to the hub the;' are disarranged,my invention providing means for readily bending them into a properpredetermined position "tor receivinnthe rim (not shown).

'lhe spider O is provided with a central hub portion 52 adapted toslidably rceeive the pull rod 31. lllrttendintg adially from th spiderhub 52 are a plurality of arms terminating; in a ring portion 54; havingits under l'ace curved at 55 tor engagement with the upper spohee lit).The arms 53 are preferably the same in number as the lower spoken ii andare provided with downward- 13' extending lingers 56 terminally curvedfor engagement respectively with the lower spokes.

In operation the wheel E, comprising the hub 39 and the diearrangredupper and lower sets of spokes 5t) and 51 rcspertivel v, is placed onthe rod 31.. being guided there by until it engages the mandrel. 237.The whee is thus positioned and supported with timeppcr epoltes 5O lyingabove the upper spoke pguides l3, and the lower spokes 51 lying abovethe lower spoke guides 42. hile the pull rod 31 is shown in Fig. 1 inits lower-meet position as just completinn the extreme bending of thespokes, itehould he ui'iderstood that at; the Completion of a cycle otfope 'atioln the parts: are brought to rest with tlle pull roll 31prelefitbly in its uppermoet poeition. Thus the wheel E is positionedpreparato 1 to the bending operation when the pun iod ill is in itsuppermost position as determined by the uppermont travel of theerosshead 25). The spider C is then lower-ed into position on the pullrod, the arms 53 being poeitionei above and alignedwith the lower spoken5i whereby upon the downward movement of the spider, the lingers 56 willengage the lower spokes 51 and the ring 5-1 will engage the upper spokesfill. in large forms ol 1n y machine, the epider C may be.iplite heavy,malting it desirable to employ a suitable hoist (not shown) above thet-lpltlel tor lifting the same oil and on the pull rod to permitpoeiticniing ot the eut' ire wheels. If desired suitable guide} might.be provided tor auton atieally properly poeitioninpi the epide' andwheel as the 'tloriner is placed into ptltll ltll'l on the pull rod.mile].- the epider has been lowered into p ofition the he illplaee d an:ihown in Fig. 1 with the hiturcations 3Z5 engaging the reduced portion3211f the pull rod 31. "ilhe parts are then ready for the downwardmovement oi? the spider whieh is accomplished by niolneritarilvwithdrawing the pin 2* establishing; a driviiur eonneotion between gear1d: and the elutrh member 16. Thus rotation ot shaft 'ltl is produeeihcans ingthe pull rod ill to move downwardly by rear-Jon ol thepin 1thand eonneetin g rod 27. As the pull rod moves downwhrdlv the spider C ii i the key ill, causing; all ol the upper spokes {it to be bent: overthe spoke guides 4-3 to the sauna extent by reason of theirenti'hg'einent with the ring portion 54:. At; thelian'ic time thelingers so engage the lower spoken 51 to bend them over lhe guides thebending of such SlllOlitlrl being alt o all. to the name extent.

After 1 single revolution (which will ordinaril be sutlieient) thennu'hine is auto-- .matically brought to rest by the movement of theclutch 16 produced b1;ensnurenient of the pin 23 and the olii'set nlotThe key ill then withd 'awn permittingready removal of spider C a ndwheel I) preparzitory to posiitioniiur ot the next wheel.

lt will be noted that I have provided means :tor nimultaneounlv bendingall 0t the spores; oi. a wheel. Since the upper spoke. and lower spokes;are bent the same A extent. they will all assui'ne a final position,a'fter springing back when the spider is removed, which will present adefinite desired arrangement. By 1.)roperlv iiranging the guides 42 and$3 with respect the movement of the spider C, the spokes ion is carriedwith it by l'ltlSOll ot a ten may be made to assume any final positiondesired.

It is apparent that instead of having two groups of spokes termed upperand lower respectively for purpose of identification, my invention isequally adapted for bending spokes of a single group, or of any numberof spokes.

l/Vhile it is believed that from the foregoing description, the natureand advantages of my invention will be readily understood, I desire tohave it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shownand described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired asfall within the scope of the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A spoke-bending machine for wheel spokes, comprising a support forsaid Wheel, a bending element, a fulcrum adapted for contact with aspoke intermediate the point of connection of the spoke with the hub ofthe wheel and theouter end of the spoke, and means for relatively movingthe bending element and wheel for bending a spoke about the saidfulcrum.

2. A spoke-bending machine for wheel spokes, comprising a support forsaid wheel, a pull rod, a spider removably mounted on said pull rod, andmeans for axially moving th pull rod to bring the spider into contactwith the spokesfor bending the same.

3. A machine for bending the spokes of wheels of the kind embodying ahub and a plurality of groups ofspokes extending radially in ofi'set.relation from said hub, a support for the wheel, a bending member, andmeans for relatively moving the bending member and wheel forsimultaneously bending all'the spokes in all of said groups.

4. A machine for bending the spokes of wheels including a hub and spokesextending radially therefrom, a pull rod act-uable through the hub, asupport for the wheel, a spider, means for detachably connecting saidspider and pull rod, and means for causing reciprocation of the pull rodfor bringing the spider into engagement with the spokes for bending thesame.

5. In a wheel spoke-bending machine, a base, a table supported by thebase, a pull rod extending reciprocally through the table, a die blocksecured to the table including spoke guides, means for mounting thewheel above the table with the said pull rod ex tending through the hubof the wheel, a bending-member carried by the upper portion of the pullrod, and means for reciproeating the pull rod to cause bending engagement of the spokes by said bending member.

6. A machine for bending the spokes of v wheels of the kind embodying ahub and a plurality of groups of spokes extending radially in oft'setrelation from said hub, a support for the wheel, a spider provided withmeans for engaging all of the spokes of the wheel, spoke guidespositioned in the line of bending of the respective spokes, and meansfor moving the spider into bending engagement with the spokes.

7. A machine for bending the spokes of wheels of the kind embodying ahub and a plurality of groups of spokes extending radially in ofi'setrelation from said hub, a support for the wheel, a spider formed with ahub portion and ring portion adapted to engage the spokes of one of saidgroups for bending the same, arms connecting the hub and ring portionsand bending means carried by said arms adapted to engage the spokes ofthe other group, and means for relatively moving the spider and wheelfor. bending the spokes.

8. In awheel spoke-bending machine, a pull rod mounted for reciprocationthrough the axis of the hub of the wheel, means for supporting thewheel, a bending member operably'and removably connected to one end ofthe pull rod, means permitting quick detachment of the pull rod andbending member, and means for exerting a pull on the other end of saidpull rod for bringing the bending member into engagement with the spokesof the wheel for bending the spokes.

9. The step in the manufacture of wheels consisting in subjecting thewheels, with cast 7 hubs and spokes extending from the hubs indisarranged fashion, to the influence of bending whereby the spokesthereof are bent into a definite predetermined arranged conditionpreparatory to receiving the rim.

1 0. A machine for bending the spokes of Wheels of the kind embodying ahub and a plurality of groups of spokes extending radially in offsetrelation from said hub, a support for the wheel, a bending memberreciprocably mounted above said wheel and provided with means forengaging all of the spokes of the wheel, and means for causing adownward movement of said member for bringing the same into engagementwith the spokes for bending the same.

11. A sp0ke-bending machine for wheel spokes, comprising a support forsaid wheel, a reciprocable member, and a spider removably mounted uponsaid reciprocable member provided with means for bending all of thespokes of the wheel simultaneously upon a downward movement of saidmember.

In testimony whereof I atfixmy signature.

THOMAS F. RAINSFORD.

